First the big news - we won in the draw and got in the nosework trial in Enumclaw on August 12th. There were only 47 slots and 90 entries. The sport is growing so fast in this area that there is a lot of competition for events - they are all filling right now. I ask that you all start crossing body parts now...
In class tonight we worked on several different things. We made good progress on Gimme's nose push to shut a door. I had already taught her to do it with her foot, so that has presented a challenge, since paw work is her preference anyway.
We revisited walking on stairs and she only needed one reminder going each way to get it right. The reminder consists of me simply stopping and waiting for her to come back into position. By the second time up and back down, she had it down pat and was able to go an entire flight right beside me on just one click/treat.
We worked on some calm sitting behaviors - sometimes she has a hard time accepting that stillness is a payable behavior. So from time to time we do a short session of clicking just sitting still. We also spent a bit of time with the door closed on her soft crate. She's great with crates and has spent a lot of time laying in there, but I realized I'd never actually closed the flap, much less zippered her in. That was no problem.
I also free shaped her to get on her red rubber Treibball mat. The other night I thought Tor's yodeling was the reason she couldn't do it, but maybe that wasn't it since she couldn't do it tonight and he wasn't even there. So I shaped it and she quickly remembered how to get to the mat and lay down with her elbows on it. I specifically require the elbows because when I first taught this she was creeping further and further forward.
Our last session with Ursula was in the big pen area and I had her help us with our fronts. Gimme has developed a variation that is not what I want. The fronts used to be nice, but not as close as I wanted. Then I got them close and very quickly Gimme started coming in, sitting and then pivoting about ten degrees clockwise. I've been trying several things to get them straight again with some success, but thought Ursula might have a different insight.
As it turned out, she noticed that my clicks are late. Gimme is actually starting the pivot before I can see it and that's getting clicked - evident from where Ursula stood. So clicking a lot earlier helped quite a bit. Then we tried another idea that also made it clearer. I'd back up a step or two and if Gimme sat straight, she got clicked/treated. If she sat crooked or sat and twisted before I could click, then I would side-step one step to my left and encourage her to come into front again. All of this was without using the "front" cue.
We started the session with about 90% of them crooked. Quickly got to about 50% straight. By the end of the session, they were about 80% straight. Nice progress for just a couple of minutes work.
Gimme is really very self aware, so I know when there is a problem just exactly who is causing it.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Timmy in the Well (NW 4/6)
Tonight we played a training game called "Timmy in the Well". Results were interesting. Dogs that usually aren't the best in class seemed to do better; while a couple of the best dogs (Gimme included) had difficulty. Her problem had a unique cause.
The set up is that we use barriers to make a smaller than usual search area - ours was an oval about 9 x 20 feet. The size of the area is intentionally small to reduce distraction and reduce inhibition caused by the handler's lack of movement. In our class all the dogs did well moving to the far end, except Kia, a Pomeranian. There is nothing in the area other than 9 boxes (1 with odor) and one chair.
You walk in with your dog, get your treats ready in your hand and let the dog smell them, then give the search cue and let the dog go. While the dog searches, you sit in the chair, remaining silent and still. When the dog finds the right box you get up and walk toward the dog as long as they stay at the box. If they leave the box, then you stop and wait for the dog to return to the right box and then walk toward them again, treating when you get all the way there.
The dog is considered to have left the box if they turn away from it or take steps away, except they can take one step toward the handler. The idea is for the dog to be shaped by your movement toward them into sticking with odor. Movement closer is reinforcing; stopping is not.
Gimme had a problem because she really wanted the treats (sugar-braised beef heart) and when I sat down she turned to me and mugged my hand, which I lifted up. Then Joyce told me to put both hands on my knees and wait. That posture is similar to one I use when I shape from sitting down and Gimme decided that's what we were doing, so naturally she threw every behavior she could think of at me, along with a lot of barking. I didn't expect that there, because its where we always do nosework and the boxes should have been a big clue for her. On the other hand, we are in the Targeting and Shaping class in that same room (once or twice a week). Often I've been on my feet all day, so I've probably sat for shaping before.
I tried after our turn (which seemed to take forever) to explain my thinking to Joyce... but she just thinks the boxes should take precedence over everything. I honestly didn't think that Gimme had really processed the "wherezit" cue before she saw what she thought was a visual cue for shaping (my posture) and visual cues take precedence over verbal cues. Also I'm not certain she'd really noticed the boxes. While she was throwing behaviors at me, she had her back turned to them as well. It wasn't until she'd worn out her entire repertoire that she finally turned and looked at the boxes and went to check them out. From the time when she went to check out the boxes until she got her treat, she was about average in time for our class.
The second time I purposely did it different, to make it clearer to her. I took her leash off and put my hand in her harness, then got the treats in the other hand and let her check them out, but not get any. Then I just paused holding her by the harness and waited until she really looked in the direction of the boxes and then I gave her the cue. She started toward the boxes, but my movement to sit in the chair caught her attention and she came back. This time she only threw a couple behaviors at me and barked a few times and then went back to the boxes and had it very quickly. So she did a lot better the second time and I think my changes had a lot to do with making the task clearer.
Our third session was a simple exterior search with odor stuck in a pinecone, placed under the common pee bush. I brought Gimme from the car with leash in her collar and let her potty nearby. Then I switched her to the line attached to her harness, walked her straight to the start line and sent her to find odor. She moved off the start so quickly that she went past it, but then quickly doubled back to the cone. Only one dog was faster than her.
Switching the leashes is a little cumbersome, but I want a real clear distinction for her. BTW on our last walk on a cement trail near the house (a nice 4.5 mile round trip), I really studied Gimme's marking behavior and precursors. I noticed she tends to find a spot where she wants to mark then side steps her heiney over it before squatting. So I'm hoping I'll be able to see that side-stepping in time to use it to interrupt any marking during nosework.
Also during that walk I saw the biggest raccoon on the planet. I swear he was 35 pounds - simply huge. I was sooooo thankful that I had Gimme on leash, so I was able to make some noise until he noticed us and moved off. I wouldn't have wanted Gimme to tangle with him. Raccoons normally retreat if they have the chance, but if they have to fight they are pretty nasty. Gimme surely would have won, but could still have gotten badly hurt.
The set up is that we use barriers to make a smaller than usual search area - ours was an oval about 9 x 20 feet. The size of the area is intentionally small to reduce distraction and reduce inhibition caused by the handler's lack of movement. In our class all the dogs did well moving to the far end, except Kia, a Pomeranian. There is nothing in the area other than 9 boxes (1 with odor) and one chair.
You walk in with your dog, get your treats ready in your hand and let the dog smell them, then give the search cue and let the dog go. While the dog searches, you sit in the chair, remaining silent and still. When the dog finds the right box you get up and walk toward the dog as long as they stay at the box. If they leave the box, then you stop and wait for the dog to return to the right box and then walk toward them again, treating when you get all the way there.
The dog is considered to have left the box if they turn away from it or take steps away, except they can take one step toward the handler. The idea is for the dog to be shaped by your movement toward them into sticking with odor. Movement closer is reinforcing; stopping is not.
Gimme had a problem because she really wanted the treats (sugar-braised beef heart) and when I sat down she turned to me and mugged my hand, which I lifted up. Then Joyce told me to put both hands on my knees and wait. That posture is similar to one I use when I shape from sitting down and Gimme decided that's what we were doing, so naturally she threw every behavior she could think of at me, along with a lot of barking. I didn't expect that there, because its where we always do nosework and the boxes should have been a big clue for her. On the other hand, we are in the Targeting and Shaping class in that same room (once or twice a week). Often I've been on my feet all day, so I've probably sat for shaping before.
I tried after our turn (which seemed to take forever) to explain my thinking to Joyce... but she just thinks the boxes should take precedence over everything. I honestly didn't think that Gimme had really processed the "wherezit" cue before she saw what she thought was a visual cue for shaping (my posture) and visual cues take precedence over verbal cues. Also I'm not certain she'd really noticed the boxes. While she was throwing behaviors at me, she had her back turned to them as well. It wasn't until she'd worn out her entire repertoire that she finally turned and looked at the boxes and went to check them out. From the time when she went to check out the boxes until she got her treat, she was about average in time for our class.
The second time I purposely did it different, to make it clearer to her. I took her leash off and put my hand in her harness, then got the treats in the other hand and let her check them out, but not get any. Then I just paused holding her by the harness and waited until she really looked in the direction of the boxes and then I gave her the cue. She started toward the boxes, but my movement to sit in the chair caught her attention and she came back. This time she only threw a couple behaviors at me and barked a few times and then went back to the boxes and had it very quickly. So she did a lot better the second time and I think my changes had a lot to do with making the task clearer.
Our third session was a simple exterior search with odor stuck in a pinecone, placed under the common pee bush. I brought Gimme from the car with leash in her collar and let her potty nearby. Then I switched her to the line attached to her harness, walked her straight to the start line and sent her to find odor. She moved off the start so quickly that she went past it, but then quickly doubled back to the cone. Only one dog was faster than her.
Switching the leashes is a little cumbersome, but I want a real clear distinction for her. BTW on our last walk on a cement trail near the house (a nice 4.5 mile round trip), I really studied Gimme's marking behavior and precursors. I noticed she tends to find a spot where she wants to mark then side steps her heiney over it before squatting. So I'm hoping I'll be able to see that side-stepping in time to use it to interrupt any marking during nosework.
Also during that walk I saw the biggest raccoon on the planet. I swear he was 35 pounds - simply huge. I was sooooo thankful that I had Gimme on leash, so I was able to make some noise until he noticed us and moved off. I wouldn't have wanted Gimme to tangle with him. Raccoons normally retreat if they have the chance, but if they have to fight they are pretty nasty. Gimme surely would have won, but could still have gotten badly hurt.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Quilt Top
When my dogs are still puppies, I let them choose their own colors. Every dog seems to have a favorite color that they gravitate to and some are even particular about what shade or tint of that color they like.
So when Gimme was a youngster, I brought home a zillion paint chips and laid them on the floor in groups of ten or so and let her indicate which appealed to her. Dogs will usually just pick one color chip up over and over again - often chewing on it or carrying it around. Then if you pick them all up together and lay them out again, they often go back to the same color.
Not Gimme - she was all over the place with her colors and I didn't know what to make of it. I'd never had a dog that didn't pick just one color and stick with it. However, when we were done and I happened to have all the colors she picked together in one place, it became clear that she had actually assembled a very pretty palette of colors. Based on her chosen palette, I bought fabrics that matched.
Here is a picture of her first quilt... We have planned two more...
So when Gimme was a youngster, I brought home a zillion paint chips and laid them on the floor in groups of ten or so and let her indicate which appealed to her. Dogs will usually just pick one color chip up over and over again - often chewing on it or carrying it around. Then if you pick them all up together and lay them out again, they often go back to the same color.
Not Gimme - she was all over the place with her colors and I didn't know what to make of it. I'd never had a dog that didn't pick just one color and stick with it. However, when we were done and I happened to have all the colors she picked together in one place, it became clear that she had actually assembled a very pretty palette of colors. Based on her chosen palette, I bought fabrics that matched.
Here is a picture of her first quilt... We have planned two more...
Frustrating
Tonight's class was frustrating to me because I had a plan that I didn't' get to really work on. I went to class with the plan of working on our treibball send. I set up our cubicle with extra dividers and an expen, so we would have plenty of space. We have been working on this at home, but don't have enough indoor space and its not ready to take outdoors. I was looking forward to having more room and introducing the idea of doing it somewhere besides my living room.
Unfortunately Tor ended up in the cubicle next to us. He is a verrrrrry talkative young Alaskan Malamute, with amazing volume. In the past Gimme has paid very little attention to him, but we've never had him in the cubicle right next door. She really wasn't able to work on things that she didn't know well already - not with him "talking" right over the divider. He's a real sweet dog and his owner is a nice and very patient man, but he's one loud boy.
Thus we weren't able to work my plan. We did work on some of our well known behaviors and I also spent a lot of time letting Gimme clean out one of our peanut butter tubes.
After that we went to the cubicle over by the stairs and worked on her "push" behavior. That's a nose push, as opposed to a nose touch. Gimme is learning several concept behaviors - they are in essence verbs that she will generalize to do different things with many different objects (named-nouns). The verbs we working on are:
Unfortunately Tor ended up in the cubicle next to us. He is a verrrrrry talkative young Alaskan Malamute, with amazing volume. In the past Gimme has paid very little attention to him, but we've never had him in the cubicle right next door. She really wasn't able to work on things that she didn't know well already - not with him "talking" right over the divider. He's a real sweet dog and his owner is a nice and very patient man, but he's one loud boy.
Thus we weren't able to work my plan. We did work on some of our well known behaviors and I also spent a lot of time letting Gimme clean out one of our peanut butter tubes.
After that we went to the cubicle over by the stairs and worked on her "push" behavior. That's a nose push, as opposed to a nose touch. Gimme is learning several concept behaviors - they are in essence verbs that she will generalize to do different things with many different objects (named-nouns). The verbs we working on are:
- touch - nose touch
- paw - paw touch or front paws on
- feet - back feet on
- push - push with your nose
- pick-up - pick up and hand to me
- bring - fetch it and bring to my hand
She's doing well with these and so is developing a nice vocabulary that will help us to build other behaviors. And despite our earlier setback to the plan (because of Mr. Noisy), we did make good headway on "push" tonight.
We also spent a little time working on loose leash walking on the stairs. That is a behavior that can be hard for dogs because it seems so natural to them to bound up the stairs. Gimme actually picked that up very quickly. Then again, she IS a genius.
Class Update
I'm a bit behind reporting on classes. They continue to go well and Gimme is learning a lot and doing very well on her special challenges. Last Thursday was an especially great class.
We were working in our cubicle and she could see other dogs through the opening, though basically ignoring them. A couple arrived late and when they went by, they let their dog stick its head in our cubicle (not supposed to happen). Instead of behaving badly, Gimme's eyes got big and then she turned to me and demanded treats. I was so proud. She was challenged, made a good decision, knew it was a good decision and then demanded recognition - gotta love that.
Then later in the same class, one of the students was working on the stairs. Our cubicle was at the bottom of one side of the stairs and I was working Gimme on something that was hard, when the lady comes down the first flight, onto the landing and before realizing we were there, started down the flight that would have brought her right into our cubicle! She was so focused on training her dog that she got turned around and started down the wrong side on the stairs. Again Gimme got big eyes, totally forgot what we were working on, but made a good decision, turned to me and demanded the payoff.
And even better - after these two episodes, she remained calm and went right back to working. There was a time not long ago when she would have spent the rest of class on high alert. This is evidence of really good progress since both dogs were within 5 feet and intruding on our space.
The thing we were working on was related to listening skills, again. Ursula had me pick six cues that Gimme knows well, that she could do in class and in a small space. I picked: kennel, chill, sit, down, touch, paw and melon. Touch is a nose touch to my hand and paw is shake hands. Chill is to down and put your head down, wherever she was. Melon is to push her cube with her nose.
Then Ursula strung them together in different logical sequences. The idea was to cue the first one and the instant Gimme did it cue the next, and the instant she did that cue the next, and so on to the end. The last behavior got clicked and treated. If she made a mistake, we broke it off and then tried it again, starting at the beginning. We did each sequence about five times (correctly) before moving on to the next.
The sequences we did were:
We were working in our cubicle and she could see other dogs through the opening, though basically ignoring them. A couple arrived late and when they went by, they let their dog stick its head in our cubicle (not supposed to happen). Instead of behaving badly, Gimme's eyes got big and then she turned to me and demanded treats. I was so proud. She was challenged, made a good decision, knew it was a good decision and then demanded recognition - gotta love that.
Then later in the same class, one of the students was working on the stairs. Our cubicle was at the bottom of one side of the stairs and I was working Gimme on something that was hard, when the lady comes down the first flight, onto the landing and before realizing we were there, started down the flight that would have brought her right into our cubicle! She was so focused on training her dog that she got turned around and started down the wrong side on the stairs. Again Gimme got big eyes, totally forgot what we were working on, but made a good decision, turned to me and demanded the payoff.
And even better - after these two episodes, she remained calm and went right back to working. There was a time not long ago when she would have spent the rest of class on high alert. This is evidence of really good progress since both dogs were within 5 feet and intruding on our space.
The thing we were working on was related to listening skills, again. Ursula had me pick six cues that Gimme knows well, that she could do in class and in a small space. I picked: kennel, chill, sit, down, touch, paw and melon. Touch is a nose touch to my hand and paw is shake hands. Chill is to down and put your head down, wherever she was. Melon is to push her cube with her nose.
Then Ursula strung them together in different logical sequences. The idea was to cue the first one and the instant Gimme did it cue the next, and the instant she did that cue the next, and so on to the end. The last behavior got clicked and treated. If she made a mistake, we broke it off and then tried it again, starting at the beginning. We did each sequence about five times (correctly) before moving on to the next.
The sequences we did were:
- chill-touch-down-melon-sit-paw
- kennel-chill-touch-down-melon-sit-paw
- sit-kennel-chill-melon-down-touch-paw
- paw-down-melon-kennel-chill-touch-sit
- down-touch-melon-sit-kennel-chill-paw
Even though it was hard mental work to focus like that and especially really listening part, Gimme seemed to enjoy it. I times I fully expected to see steam come out of her ears. This girl really loves a challenge.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Young Love
I've been wanting to share with all of you how much fun Gimme and Grafton have together. They are really so sweet and so "in love". Young Love is a real joy to see.
While I still haven't been successful getting a video of the Lion Dog on the Spaghetti Plain Stalking the Lovely Dalzelle... here are some clips I put together of them playing...
Here's a bunch of pictures of them... Many are out of focus because they run and play so hard and so fast that getting things in focus is a near impossibility...
While I still haven't been successful getting a video of the Lion Dog on the Spaghetti Plain Stalking the Lovely Dalzelle... here are some clips I put together of them playing...
Here's a bunch of pictures of them... Many are out of focus because they run and play so hard and so fast that getting things in focus is a near impossibility...
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Gimme's Public
Gimme was invited to a parade last weekend. We were there to support Hadian for Governor. Gimme's part was to be damn cute and entertain the children and, of course, she did a stellar job. She had her picture taken as the official Conservative Spokes-Dal, with several conservative candidates, along with other parade participants. As expected, she was a huge hit and got her picture taken another 200 times while being petted and fussed over.
There are at least two thousand more people that know about liver Dalmatians.
Here are some pictures... This is our crew - Hadian for Governor. It may be that Gimme was the only physically fit one of the bunch...
.jpg)
This is Gimme with the Harley Davidson riders in support of "Tatt Time", tattooing artists. She was gracious enough to not mention that her beautiful tattoos are all natural... choosing to let them speak for themselves. They were right ahead of us in the parade, spinning their wheels and making a huge stink of burning rubber and a very loud racket - which Gimme paid almost no attention to.
.jpg)
This is Gimme with the nice man that drove the firetruck that was right behind us. He ran the siren a few times and so Gimme and I sang along. She always answers the song of the firetruck that goes by our house.
.jpg)
Gimme took an instant liking to Andrew Barkis - they just hit it off. It may be the name.
Gimme especially appreciated that the Justin Kover for Utilities Commissioner crew so thoughtfully brought a pretty red sports car to serve as a backdrop for her own loveliness.
.jpg)
Gimme never tires of posing on firetrucks and we both have a special fondness for the antiques.
.jpg)
It seemed only fitting that there would be a whole squad of cheerleaders standing by waiting for an opportunity to pose with the cutest Dalmatian on the planet.
.jpg)
After the lengthy photo session, Gimme took some time to chill out - conserving her strength before the parade begins.
Gimme was so popular at the parade and so there was a special request that she attend the Meet the Candidates forum last night. It was far too warm for her to wear her t-shirt, but she has a nice patriotic scarf for just such occasions.
Here Gimme poses with Mr. Hadian, who we hope will be the next governor of Washington state. Gimme is completely sold on him and endorses him with a solid four-paws-up. I must divulge that he did give her a peanut butter cookie.
And lastly, posing with the two girls. By this time, she was getting tired. These photo shoots always wear a girl out and Gimme says she has new found appreciation for the rigors models must endure.
Little Miss Pupularity has already received an invitation to the 4th of July parade in Tumwater! Gimme wants to do it, but first we have to figure out some logistics, since it will be much warmer then. Also, in Thurston county, parade participants all have to ride on vehicles, so we have that to consider as well.
There are at least two thousand more people that know about liver Dalmatians.
"Yes, her spots are brown – its called liver."
"Yes, she is a real Dalmatian. Liver colored spotting is in the Dalmatian standard in every country in the world. Her father is a liver and he’s one of the top Dalmatians in the United States."
"It's called liver. Thank you. Yes, it is very pretty…"I would never have thought Gimme could ever have enough petting and attention, but it is possible. Toward the end of the parade she was clearly "over" the fun of being petted and fussed over. So I fed her treats while it was happening to help her endure. When we got back to the car she was very impatient to get in the car and into her crate. She was sound asleep in minutes. Being a public figure is very hard work. Anyone who has a significant fan base knows just how demanding the public can be.
Here are some pictures... This is our crew - Hadian for Governor. It may be that Gimme was the only physically fit one of the bunch...
.jpg)
This is Gimme with the Harley Davidson riders in support of "Tatt Time", tattooing artists. She was gracious enough to not mention that her beautiful tattoos are all natural... choosing to let them speak for themselves. They were right ahead of us in the parade, spinning their wheels and making a huge stink of burning rubber and a very loud racket - which Gimme paid almost no attention to.
.jpg)
This is Gimme with the nice man that drove the firetruck that was right behind us. He ran the siren a few times and so Gimme and I sang along. She always answers the song of the firetruck that goes by our house.
.jpg)
Gimme took an instant liking to Andrew Barkis - they just hit it off. It may be the name.
Gimme especially appreciated that the Justin Kover for Utilities Commissioner crew so thoughtfully brought a pretty red sports car to serve as a backdrop for her own loveliness.
.jpg)
Gimme never tires of posing on firetrucks and we both have a special fondness for the antiques.
.jpg)
It seemed only fitting that there would be a whole squad of cheerleaders standing by waiting for an opportunity to pose with the cutest Dalmatian on the planet.
.jpg)
After the lengthy photo session, Gimme took some time to chill out - conserving her strength before the parade begins.
Gimme was so popular at the parade and so there was a special request that she attend the Meet the Candidates forum last night. It was far too warm for her to wear her t-shirt, but she has a nice patriotic scarf for just such occasions.
Here Gimme poses with Mr. Hadian, who we hope will be the next governor of Washington state. Gimme is completely sold on him and endorses him with a solid four-paws-up. I must divulge that he did give her a peanut butter cookie.
And lastly, posing with the two girls. By this time, she was getting tired. These photo shoots always wear a girl out and Gimme says she has new found appreciation for the rigors models must endure.
Little Miss Pupularity has already received an invitation to the 4th of July parade in Tumwater! Gimme wants to do it, but first we have to figure out some logistics, since it will be much warmer then. Also, in Thurston county, parade participants all have to ride on vehicles, so we have that to consider as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)